ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ecological network

Ecological network is like a big circle of friends who all help each other out. Imagine if you were friends with a bunch of animals, like birds, bugs, and plants. They all need things to survive, just like you need food, water, and shelter. So they help each other out by sharing these things.

For example, bees need flowers to get nectar to make honey. But the flowers need the bees to spread their pollen, so that more flowers can grow. This is a special relationship called mutualism, where both the bee and the flower benefit from each other.

Other animals, like birds or worms, might eat the plants or bugs. But they also help to break down dead plants and leaves into nutrients for the soil. This is called recycling, because they are taking something that's no longer useful and turning it into something new.

All of these relationships between the animals and plants are what make up an ecological network. It's like a big web of friendships, where everyone helps each other out to survive and thrive!